new tank pics.

[spikehs]

Just put all the rock in the new tank - still a little cloudy as the sand is swirling around (i think i have too much flow comming from one outlet ~900gph) Any comments and suggestions to make it better would be great!

[StirCrazy]

that will all settle down in a few days, I couldent even see my rock for 4 days after i put it in. starting to look good.

Steve

[pocilipora]

I like the way your rocks are set up. One thing though, are the rocks sitting directly on the sand? You want as little rock touching or there will be dead spots in your DSB. It will create algae problems down the road.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by pocilipora

I like the way your rocks are set up. One thing though, are the rocks sitting directly on the sand? You want as little rock touching or there will be dead spots in your DSB. It will create algae problems down the road.

I would say that is not nessasarly true.. "Most" tanks have rock directly on the sane. and even if there are some dead spots from all the tanks I have seen it doesent affect anything.

Steve

[pocilipora]

If you dig up your sand after years of being under a rock it will be black/grey and stink like sulphur. That is a dead spot and can causes algae problems. Its just an opinion and an experience. Have you seen most tanks. thats cool. Every point touching the sand is a place for detritus to collect and affect its long term sucess. In essence you create a brick wall which no circulation can go through.

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

"Most" tanks have rock directly on the sane. and even if there are some dead spots from all the tanks I have seen it doesent affect anything.

I agree with Steve that rock directly on the sandbed is no big deal. Have had numerous reefs set up just like that without major problems with dead spots.

Like your open space in the middle Like that there's a big pile of rock at one end and a much smaller pile at the other end, too Not sure I would stack the big pile up against the wall in such a block-like fashion, though. I'd like it more if water could circulate around back of the pile, though circulation might already be there, I just can't see it from the photo.

Overall, like it very much

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by pocilipora

Have you seen most tanks.

hmm mixing up words to quote me on something out of contest eh.

If you do a pole you will see Most tanks are set up this way. and the tanks that I have seen this way have not had a problem.. to tell you the truth I have not seen a tank yet that has the rock lifted by some other means.

the bigest concern about doing it this way was the compacting of the sand underneith the rock, but the good Dr. dispelled this myth and assured that there are critters that will still be under the rocks. and if you have these critters you will not have dead spots. So at the end of the day if you have a properly seeded sand bed you shoulden't get dead spots under your rock. I checked mine when I rearanged my rocks and at that point 6 months had not produced dead spots yet. I will check it again in september which will be 15 months.

Steve

[Chad]

I have a power head behind my rock formation to give it some water movement throughout the stack. Works pretty well.

[Jack]

I know exactly what Chris is talking about. If you lift up burried rock it is totally black and grey and stinks like sulpher. I can't see this being a good thing. Although im not sure if it will cause algae blooms.

In hindsight I had this byropsis type algae on my return pipes and a bit on my overflow when I had burried rock.. hmm. But reciently i re-did my whole rock work (placing the rock above the sand this time) while removing my dreaded grape caulerpa and now it is going away....I have no clue because around this time I got new MH bulbs, new skimmer, and upped my kalk dosing. All factors that would decrease problematic algae.

anyways, about your tank (i got a little side tracked lol).. it looks really good but having a wall of rock up against glass would scare me personally. you can cheat and make it hollow behind there. some sort of flow behind there will do good in the long run. putting powerheads behind and under rocks is ok... untill you have to clean them.

i dont think 900gph out of one return is to much either as long as it isnt blasting corals. maybe idealy you want to split it into two 450pgh returns at each end. as your tank gets older you will find what works best for it.

keep up the nice work

[spikehs]

thanks everyone, I should really work some flow behind the rocks somehow. Although it doesn't look like it, the rock is barely touching the glass, so i aint too woried yet. almost clear now....just need to dust of the glass.